SAM ALLARDYCE has admitted his summer transfer dealings have had the gloss taken off them by the departure of Nobby Solano.

United fans were shocked when the Chronicle revealed on August 9 that the popular Peruvian wanted to leave St James’ Park for family reasons, and that West Ham were interested in him.

Alan Curbishley finally got his man just before the transfer window closed on Friday, and Solano left St James’ for the second and last time.

He will never be forgotten by United supporters, and he has been a pleasure to deal with from the moment Kenny Dalglish paid Boca Juniors a bargain #2.5m for him in the summer of 1998.

Solano has served under Ruud Gullit, Sir Bobby Robson, Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder, and it was left to Allardyce to probably speak on behalf of them all by paying tribute to the Peruvian international.

The Chronicle reported on Friday Solano would only be allowed to go if Allardyce recruited Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye.

Allardyce told me today: “I am reasonably satisfied at what we have been able to do in the transfer market in the summer.

“The only disappointing one for me was Nobby, but in the end it was the right thing to do.

“He needed to be with his wife and kids, who have moved to London.

“West Ham are a big club as well. He wanted that, and we received a fee for him.

“We had to let it go to the wire because without the two players we got in it could not have happened.”

Big Sam added: “We are all going to miss Nobby around the dressing room, but we will not miss that trumpet of his!”

Solano is off to Lima this week to play for Peru against Colombia and Bolivia.

The midfielder, though, already has one date pencilled in his diary – West Ham’s visit to St James’ Park a fortnight on Sunday.

The other departure on Friday night was Paul Huntington, who joined League One side Leeds United for #500.000.